Crystal Clear
by lilzazu
Summary: OZ is experimenting on a girl...Duo intends to find out why she is so special. Those cold blue eyes...I don't know who I am......Chapter 8 up! Please Review! Summaries do no Justice..I suck at them..
1. Being Watched

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Gundam Wing, as much as I want to. I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making money.   
  
**AN:** Another new idea. I don't think I want to continue the ideas unless I get reviews, because it'll be pointless if no one reads them...*sigh* is my writing THAT bad?!?!?!   
Oh, and _'blah blah'_ denotes thoughts   
  


**_Crystal Clear   
Part 1: Being Watched_**   
  
  
     For the past few OZ missions, the pilots were stumped as to how OZ was able to predict what they were doing and had more mobile suits meet them than they ever had. In fact, OZ was predicting everything they had planned beforehand, so the pilots were forced to act instinctively, and spontaneously. Then, there were the child disappearances before each of their missions, a total of 7 missing children that all reappeared exactly 5 days after each disappearance, in the exact place where they had last been seen. The 5 pilots have long since caught onto the pattern. One missing child would reappear in 5 days, only to have another child disappear within 12 hours. They all knew that OZ had something to do with it. Now, they just had to find out what.   
  
  
  
     "10-year-old Jasmine Lin has re-appeared, back at the ice cream stand where she was last seen 5 days ago before she disappeared. The ice cream stand owner, Jamie Newman, had been rummaging under the stand for a new box of cones when he stood and met the eyes of Jasmine, handing her money to him, asking for the vanilla cone she had asked for before she disappeared in front of Jamie Newman's eyes. As the 7 other children that have disappeared and reappeared, Jasmine Lin does not remember anything that has happened from the moment that she had vanished. The pattern has been confirmed that all children that disappear will re-appear exactly 5 days after the disappearance, exactly where they have vanished. Police officers have yet to tell what leads they have leading to the kidnappers, but many citizens do not believe the children were kidnapped, as they vanish into thin air with what they define as a waver. No witness has seen how it happened. The Head of the Police Department here in Toronto ensures citizens that-"   
  
  
     Quatre looked up to see Duo, who had switched off the news report.   
  
     "Duo?" He asked.   
  
     "We know this stuff. And we know it's OZ." Duo said, serious for once.   
  
     "Why?" Quatre asked, looking at the other people in the room, the rest of the Gundam Pilots: Heero, Trowa, and Wufei.   
  
     "I agree with Maxwell." Wufei said. "But we don't know for sure that OZ is doing this…disappearing act." Heero and Trowa nodded. Heero held out a few sheets of paper, passing them around the room.   
  
     "I got these from an OZ database." He said. Before he could continue, the door opened, and the 5 boys looked up to see Sally Po.   
  
     "What is it Sally?" Trowa asked when Sally didn't speak.   
  
     "Another child has disappeared. At a convenience store 20 minutes from this base."   
  
     "Any information?"   
  
     "Her name is Nicole Andrews. She's 12 years old, American, and on a school tour when she disappeared. Her classmate, who was with her at the convenience store, said she just vanished into thin air. Poor girl is hysterical."   
  
     "All right. 5 days right?" Duo said. Sally nodded. "We don't want to let OZ soldiers, or the local police to know you guys are also on the case. You ARE the Gundam Pilots here."   
  
     "There will be another mission coming in tonight then, for tomorrow. If we can somehow do the mission and find this child at the base before we blow it up, we may crack the case of the missing children. Sally, please get us pictures of the missing child."   
  
     "Right." Sally turned and left the room, and the group turned back to Heero and the papers he had handed out.   
  
     "OZ has new technology?" Quatre asked, eyes wide, scanning the paper.   
  
     "New silencer technique. To silence all witnesses so they cannot speak, or remember what happened to them." Duo read. "This is cruel."   
  
     Heero's laptop beeped, and he scanned the mission before typing the acceptance.   
  
     "Infiltrate the base in Pickering. Take the blueprints of a new machine, and blow it up."   
  
     "I thought that was the first base we blew up after the first child disappeared!" Duo said. "Not that I mind blowing up places, but, you know…"   
  
     "There's another base up."   
  
     "Already?"   
  
     Heero nodded. "Quatre and Trowa, you guys will stay outside and be the back up. Wufei, you and I will go in and take the blueprints. Duo, you'll plant the explosives in the control room, and one explosive in every 5 rooms. You'll have about 15 minutes, maximum, to do this, before Wufei and I get out and detonate."   
  
     "How big is this base?" Duo asked with a grin.   
  
     "20 rooms, control room, and basement lab." Heero read off the screen. "All locked."   
  
     "Easy enough. 15 minutes is too much." The boys went separate ways to gather what they need for the mission. Quatre and Duo stayed behind in the room, and Duo looked around them, uneasily.   
  
     "What's wrong Duo?" Quatre asked looking around as well.   
  
     "Those eyes. I feel eyes watching us again."   
  
     "There's no one else in here, but I feel them too." Quatre glanced around. "We're in a Preventers base. No one but Preventers will be here. And I doubt anyone will be looking in on us, why would they?"   
  
     "I don't know. I know Heero did a check to see if we were watched before we were free to talk in this room, and I know we aren't being watched, but I just have that feeling."   
  
     "I do too."   
  
     "Ignore it you two. Don't be weaklings." Wufei huffed, re-entering the room. "We aren't being watched here. We're leaving this base in 1 hour and 20 minutes."   
  
     "Right."   
  
  
  


***

  
  
  
  
     Exactly 1 hour and 17 minutes later, the pilots were all in their Gundams, getting ready to take off. Pickering wasn't far away, and with their Gundams, only about 20 minutes away before they had to go on by foot. Duo sat, waiting for his take off signal, looking at the picture of the missing girl. She had light brown and blond hair, light skin, dusting of freckles across her face, and was skinny. He slipped the picture into his pocket, and took off after the other pilots.   
  
     Half an hour later, he was in the base, picking the first lock, when he heard a footsteps, soldiers, he assumed, and he jumped into the room, closing the door to a crack, listening to the conversations.   
  
     "I wonder how His Excellency is telling us when those darn Gundam Pilots are coming. He's always sure, and we can do nothing but follow orders. But how does he know? He's always right too!" One person was saying.   
  
     "Spies." Another said haughtily. "We all know that His Excellency is always talking to this little girl. She's a cute one too, long brown hair, small, skinny, but smart. Her eyes are cold though. Caught me staring at her. Her name is Crystle. The name suits her; her eyes are icy blue."   
  
     "How does she know?" The first asked.   
  
     "She watches. Her eyes see everything. Sharp."   
  
     The two soldiers' conversation died as they walked away.   
  
     _ A spy…a young girl named Crystle. Watching eyes…_ Puzzle pieces clicked in Duo's mind as he glanced at his watch. 8 minutes to detonation. He had to work fast. The feeling of being watched made Duo's skin tingle and he spun around, searching the dark room with his violet eyes. Two icy blue orbs looked at him from further in the room, but when Duo blinked, they were gone. He flicked on the light for a moment, and saw he was in a small room, which was empty apart from him. He shook his head, and stepped toward the opposite wall, planting the bomb under the only table in the room.   
  
     "I'm watching you…everything is crystal clear…" A voice whispered in his ear. Duo whipped around, but saw no one by behind him. With a shake of his head, he finished his task, and went on to the next room. But he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.   
  
     There were no more interruptions that night, and the base went up in flames, despite the desperate attempts of the soldiers to stop it. There were a few mobile suits to fight on their way out, but with 5 Gundams, they were easily overpowered and destroyed.   
  
     "We didn't find anything. Just the prints we had to find. No girl, no commanding officers. There was a bunch of mobile suits waiting for us. They seem to know where we were." Quatre said as they gathered once again at the base. Duo looked around, feeling eyes on him again.   
  
     "Duo? Do you know something?" Quatre asked. Duo looked at the blond, and then shook his head. It wasn't safe to talk. At least Duo didn't think so.   
  
     And hidden in the shadows outside the base, in the trees of a small garden, a pair of sharp, blue eyes gleamed, the owner of them nodding to herself.   
  
     _ The pilots aren't that dull after all. _ She thought to herself, before she vanished into thin air with a waver. Much like the way all the other children disappeared…   
  
     Duo was just stepping outside for fresh air,mumbling to himself about what he had overheard at the Pickering base, when a voice reached his ears. He looked around as he listened, detecting a presence in hidden in the trees.   
  
     "I'm watching you…everything is crystal clear…" It whispered, before it disappeared with the presence. Duo paled.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saori: What puzzle pieces clicked in Duo's mind? Read on to find out as soon as the next chapter is up! Review please people! And what is the silencer technique...I dunno yet...^.^''''' sorry...um...is it really confusing? It'll straighten out soon...I promise..just...support n keep reading..please?? Review for anything you don't understand..it'll be answered either at the bottom of the next chapter, or at the **Authors Note** at the beginning. Thanks! 


	2. The Truth

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Gundam Wing, as much as I want to. I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making money.   
  
**AN:** Another new idea. I don't think I want to continue the ideas unless I get reviews, because it'll be pointless if no one reads them...*sigh* is my writing THAT bad?!?!?! Chapter 2 now....*sigh* one review..thanks..   
Oh, and _'blah blah'_ denotes thoughts   
  


**_Crystal Clear   
Part 2: The Truth_**   
  
  
     "What did you learn today Crystle?" Trieze asked, a rose in his hand, standing at the window of his office. Crystle bowed before answering.   
  
     "Your Excellency, I only saw the 5 pilots planning on taking the new Pickering base. There was nothing else."   
  
     "You were over by the Preventers base. What were you doing there?" Treize asked, turning to look at the girl.   
  
     "Seeing if I could find out what they knew. Which reminds me, that they also know about the kidnappings. They see that each time a child is kidnapped, they have a mission. They don't know why though." She paused. "I don't even know why, Your Excellency." She added thoughtfully.   
  
     Treize chuckled. "I'll tell you when the time comes Crystle. You are dismissed now. Report back to me in two days at the same time." Crystle bowed again before leaving the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Zechs came into view then, from the linked chamber.   
  
     "What do you see Zechs?" Treize asked, looking out the window again.   
  
     "She wants to find out why the children are being kidnapped. She doesn't know yet about the secret lab downstairs, and all the children being tested on."   
  
     "What do you gather so far with the children?"   
  
     "The scientists refuse to work at all with the children who are the wrong size, wrong nationality, wrong age, wrong weight. But under threats, they still experimented. The children have no memory of this whatsoever, but in the right situation, they will react."   
  
     "What situation is that?"   
  
     "They will be the ones to take down the pilots. As soon as the right time comes."   
  
     Crystle moved back from the door, spotting a soldier down the hall. Acting as if she just left the room, she nodded to the soldier before walking to her room on the 5th floor of the 7-floor base. Now to be 8, with the basement…Crystle counted to herself. But she missed the rest of the conversation…   
  
     "Excellent. When exactly IS this 'right time' Zechs?"   
  
     "When we have them in our grasp. Each night, the children are roused from their beds, spiritually, and are trained in mobile suits. Soon, they will be better than even the OZ soldiers themselves. That will be the downfall of the Gundams when they face off later on."   
  
     "Good. Now, what about the silencer technique?"   
  
     "It's coming along."   
  
     "Details?" Treize sat down at his desk, picking up his glass of wine.   
  
     "The Silencer first of all, makes the victim mute. They will not speak. Then, there are options, suited for each victim under categories. One, the victim will lose all memory. Two, the victim's memories will be buried, and new artificial ones will be created. Three, the victim's memories will remain, but specific ones will be buried, and take effort to dig up. In this case, the pain will come in, or in other words, those memories are forever gone. Finally, four, the victim will be programmed. The victim's every thought and movement can be monitored if the microchip, currently being tested, is inserted to the neck. In all cases, pain can also be administered manually from the lab."   
  
     "What does this pain do?" Treize asked, very interested. The experiment was coming along nicely.   
  
     "It makes the victim cold on the inside. Each time, the pain deepens, eating away at them until they become totally desperate. Their head will hurt. Some will pass out, depending on them. Eventually, if there is too much, depending on the will of the victim, they will break."   
  
     "Excellent. What will stop the pain though?"   
  
     "Two things." Zechs smirked.   
  
     "Water, and something of your choice Treize. Take your pick."   
  
     Treize thought for a moment before smiling darkly. "Marijuana."   
  
     "Excellent choice sir."   
  
     "What's missing now?"   
  
     "Nothing at the moment. The last of this work is being done."   
  
     "Good. How long?"   
  
     "One week at the most."   
  
     "Dismissed."   
  
     Zechs left the room via the secret chamber, the only way leading down to the basement, and Treize smiled again. The work was progressing rapidly, just as he wanted.   
  
  
  


***

  
  
  
  
     Crystle stared up at the ceiling above her bed, now dressed in her navy tank top and sweatpants. _'God that OZ uniform is really uncomfortable after a while…'_ She thought. Crystle, at the age of 14, was the first child to be experimented on over a month ago when the experiment had been finished. Within this month, not only did she train hard enough to face off any pilot on the OZ force, she also earned Treize's trust, and monitored the Gundam Pilots. She learned a lot from them, not that Treize knew, thus making her the most young, yet most powerful fighter on the force. She also tried to keep track of all the experiments, trying to near Zech's, the only communicator to the scientists that she now knew existed in the basement, but Zech's would have no part of that. In fact, now that she thought back to it, Crystle hardly saw the tall man; she was always sent out to monitor the outside world. She sighed, getting up and pulling a t-shirt on and then a sweatshirt. She strapped her gun under the baggy sweatshirt, and was just putting on her boots when someone knocked on the door. She glanced around to room to see it neat as usual, and opened the door.   
  
     "Hey Crystle." It was Alex, a 22-year-old OZ soldier.   
  
     "Hey Alex. Sup?"   
  
     "The guys are hitting the gym. Coming?"   
  
     "Can't. Got work." Crystle smiled tiredly. Alex raised an eyebrow.   
  
     "You look really tired. How long have you been working?"   
  
     "2 shifts. This is my third." Alex's eyes widened.   
  
     "Slow down! One shift is 10 hours, and this third shift would make it 30 hours! Have you eaten?"   
  
     "Power bars, no time."   
  
     "Come with me." Alex grabbed her wrist, pulling her with him, pausing only to shut the door.   
  
     "Aw…c'mon Alex, don't do this, I have to work! Where're you taking me?" Crystle tried to pull back, but Alex was not only taller but also stronger.   
  
     "Just a quick pause at the cafeteria, won't kill ya." Crystle sighed. She knew she couldn't stop Alex. Sitting down where he left her at a table, she sighed as Alex headed back over moments later with a plate of pasta, spaghetti, and a glass of orange juice.   
  
     "Eat up kid."   
  
     "Fine. 10 minutes. I'm late."   
  
     "Eat then." Alex sat down with his coffee to watch the girl.   
  
     "Fine." With a sigh, Crystle picked up her fork, starting methodically with the salad. She didn't realize how hungry she was, and soon finished, just as Alex finished his coffee.   
  
     "Good."   
  
     "I really gotta run now." Crystle nodded to Alex, and ran back to her room. There, she pulled hair up into a ponytail, and pulled cap on. As late as it was in the night, she didn't want people to see her face, and definitely not her bright blue eyes. She vanished with a waver from the room, appearing at Quatre's mansion, where the gundam pilots were currently staying. She sighed again as she faced the large mansion from the trees of the garden. _ 'How do I find them from the outside with this big house? I hate rich houses…' _   
  
     As Crystle searched from the outside silently, moving in the shadows, she thought about her past. She too, had once been rich. Then, when the war broke out, a battle between the Gundam's and OZ had killed her family, consisting of her parents and older brother. She was saved, shielded from the rubble under the body of her beloved brother. She remembered seeing the suit, a black one with wings. Deathscythe Hell. And now she was back for revenge. She had ended up with OZ, she didn't remember how, but she only remembered that Treize continued to tell her that it was Duo Maxwell, Pilot 02's fault of her family's death. She ducked, seeing a tall man wearing a uniform pass by, as if on patrol. The man froze, as did Crystle, before he relaxed and moved on. Maguanacs. She read about them in her Winner Family Research.   
  
     While she searched the area, thinking, she found Trowa, Quatre and Wufei in a study, Heero in another, at a computer. He looked out the window and stood, glancing out. Up in a tree, hidden, Crystle panted silently, having scaled the tall branches in less than two seconds. Heero found nothing, and Crystle watched him go back to his seat before she looked up. There, she saw Duo Maxwell, lying on his bed. She was about to move closer before she saw Duo sit up, and walk over to the window, pushing it open, despite the cold November air. Another voice reached her ears.   
  
     "Duo? Are you all right?"   
  
     It was Quatre.   
  
     "Yea, I'm fine. I'm just thinking about something."   
  
     "Care to share?" The blond Arabian now stood next to the braided youth.   
  
     "That battle, at the beginning of the war."   
  
     "The one in Florida?" Quatre guessed. Crystle perked up. _ 'They must be talking about the one that killed my family…'_ The tree bark dug into Crystle's hands as she gripped the evergreen tree tight.   
  
     "Duo, you're thinking about that town again."   
  
     "Yea. Before the battle, I was around town. I saw a girl with her older brother, getting ice cream in front of this mansion, like the size of yours. She looked so happy, and the older brother obviously loved her."   
  
     "It was the beginning of the war Duo. You learn from your mistakes."   
  
     "I killed them!" Duo exclaimed, burying his face in his hands as he turned his back to the window.   
  
     _ 'Damn right you did!' _ Crystle almost screamed, but she stopped herself.   
  
     "No you didn't! Those two Mobile suits were not properly made! We researched it! They were unbalanced! Landing beside each other, they both fell, and they crushed that mansion!"   
  
     "I could have saved that mansion by pulling away those suits! But I stood there watching like an idiot."   
  
     "You are no idiot Duo! You've saved many lives after that! That was the only mistake you made!"   
  
     "This is a war Duo." Another voice entered the conversation, and a teen with a long bang over his face entered Crystle's view. Trowa Barton. "There are casualties in the war Duo. You can't save everyone."   
  
     "Trowa, I just think I could have saved them."   
  
     "You couldn't Duo. You don't even know if there were survivors! By getting out of the way when other suits started to shoot at you, you prevented the town's blowing up! You saved others! If you hadn't gotten out of the way, you would have killed the entire town. That family, you don't even know if they were there!"   
  
     "But what if they were?" Duo asked quietly.   
  
     "Then they were sacrificed for their town. There is nothing you can do Duo."   
  
     "First the church, now them, all the soldiers, how many do I have to kill?" Duo sounded choked.   
  
     "We all have to kill. This is a war. We kill for defense. It isn't manslaughter as you see it. People die for reasons. That family, if they did die, saved their town. As Wufei would say, they died for honor."   
  
     "I can't deal. It's not enough for me." Duo said firmly.   
  
     "Then you can't do anything. Why can you deal with the soldier's deaths when you can't deal with a family as casualties?" Quatre urged.   
  
     "Because you didn't see that girl and her brother! God, I would do anything to save them!"   
  
     "You couldn't have. Blame OZ if you must. If they didn't position their suits into those places, you wouldn't have had to choose between saving the crushing mansion or blowing up the town!"   
  
     At this, a silent tear leaked from Crystle's eye. Angrily, she wiped it away, but couldn't stop the flooding of the liquid in her eyes. Now she understood. Her family, three people, was sacrificed for the town she loved so much. She used to think it was unfair that only her family died. Now she knew. She was proud and honored. Her family saved the town. OZ lied to her. Treize lied to her. She wiped her eyes, her tears leaving. Now, she knew which side she should be on. Suddenly, the murmur of voices stopped. She looked up in horror to see that she was in full view of the three pilots, one of which was climbing out the window. Trowa jumped and spun in the air, landing on the branch beside her. He grabbed her by the back of her sweatshirt, pulling her up when she slipped from the branches. Trespasser or not Trowa wasn't going to let this person die, and he slipped too, hanging onto the branches with one arm, and hanging onto the person with his other. He was about to jump to the ground with the trespasser, when suddenly the person vanished with a waver from his hand. But not before Duo caught sight of her eyes. Cold blue eyes, now warmed, looked at him. He knew those eyes.   
  
     "Crystal clear. Thank you." The voice whispered before the person disappeared.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saori: How is Crystle gonna deal with Treize now? Review to find out!!! PLEASE!! 


	3. Realization

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Gundam Wing, as much as I want to. I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making money.   
  
**AN:** Another new idea. I don't think I want to continue the ideas unless I get reviews, because it'll be pointless if no one reads them...*sigh* is my writing THAT bad?!?!?! Chapter 3 now....*sigh* two reviews..thank you!!   
Oh, and _'blah blah'_ denotes thoughts   
  


**_Crystal Clear   
Part 3: Realization_**   
  
  
    Crystle sat down on her bed, breathing a sigh of relief. She had been too close to being captured, too close for her comfort. She thanked her stars that she had kept a clear head instead of panicking, and that she had her teleportation device keyed to her room ahead of time. With a sigh, she looked at the device. It was a mini hand-held screen with a keypad. All she had to do was key in the coordinates of the location she wanted to be in, and had to hit the side button to teleport. She perked up when she realized something. _ 'I'm not the only one with the device, if those children are all disappearing like that…that means someone is at the scene each time, to somehow touch the victim before they hit the button and vanish…' _ She jumped when the phone that connected only to Treize's room rang, and she picked it up.   
       
"His Excellency wishes to see you." Zechs Marquise said once Crystle picked up. She nodded.   
  
     "I'll be there in 5 minutes." She hung up with a sigh. She needed sleep, desperately. Washing her face, Crystle changed back into her OZ uniform, and headed to the office. She paused, listening for any ongoing conversation before knocking.   
  
     "Come in." Treize's voice called to her. She opened the door, closing it behind her before bowing.   
  
     "Your Excellency, I thought you wanted me to report in three days. It has only been 3 hours." She said.   
  
     "I know you were at the Winner Mansion. A near capture escapade?" Treize asked. Crystle hung her head.   
  
     "Yes sir."   
  
     "And why was that?"   
  
     "I was careless."   
  
     "Crystle, in these past two months, you have never been careless. What made you lose your concentration?"   
  
     Crystle thought quickly. She had to confirm the words of the three pilots, about her family's death, before she confronted Treize's lies. At the same time, she could confirm by asking Treize straight out…   
  
     "I was watching Duo Maxwell. Hatred and want for revenge made me lose my concentration. I was lost in the many ways to kill the man." She said.   
  
     "Really? Like how?" Treize leaned forward, interested. Crystle caught sight of Zechs in the shadows.   
  
     "My favorites are to crush him with the foot of a mobile suit, or strangle him with his own braid and make it look like it was suicide."   
  
     "But you know that he would never suicide."   
  
     "Yes sir. If I may your Excellency, I've been taking more than 2 shifts. May I retire now before I go for more observation in the morning?"   
  
     "Very well. You are dismissed."   
  
     "Your Excellency." Crystle bowed, and then turned to Zechs. "And good night to you too, Lieutenant." She exited the room, and headed back to her own room once more.   
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
     "Trowa! Did you catch her?" Quatre called down from the second story window. Trowa looked up. In the few seconds between spotting the person, attempting to capture, and losing her, the three easily saw that the person was female, but nothing else. Only Duo saw the blue eyes, although they were partially shielded by the cap.   
  
     "No. She vanished."   
  
     "Vanished?" Trowa easily climbed the tree, and hopped back into Duo's room. "Yea. Without a trace."   
  
     "What'd you gather?" Duo asked, shaking slightly. He definitely knew those eyes.   
  
     "Female, light, small, nothing else."   
  
     "Wonder if she has anything to do with the kidnappings…she vanished?" Quatre questioned again. Trowa nodded. "She was quick though. I'm guessing she's probably trained."   
  
  
  


*** 

  
  
  
     "Something doesn't add up." Crystle said to herself, once back in her room, and now in her pajamas. "I have to find a way to the basement, and I have to confirm who really got my family caught in the battle." She hit her head against the wall with a sigh. "I need some sleep." Crawling under the covers, she fell asleep.   
  
     Treize clicked off the screen that showed the video feed from Crystle's room. He swirled his wine in a cup, looking across to Zechs, who was smirking.   
  
     "You need not smirk Milliardo, now I know you were right. The girl is starting to suspect. Not surprising, seeing as she is quite smart. The girl is bound to turn on us once she finds the truth."   
  
     "Your Excellency, it occurred to me that after the Silencer Technique is completed, we DO need a first specimen…"   
  
     "I have the perfect person for you."   
  
  
  


***

  
  
  
  
     The next night, Crystle watched as Duo was elected to go out and get some take-out for dinner. Pulling her cap low over her eyes, Crystle followed the braided youth as he started for the Chinese restaurant that had been selected. Seeing her chance, she pulled out her gun, and moved up to him. She was shorter than he was, her head reaching his shoulder, and that gave her an advantage, that he couldn't see her face. She moved up to him, taking his hand and pressing the gun to his side from insider her jacket as he turned.   
  
     "Hey-" Duo started before he snapped his mouth shut, feeling the gun. Crystle leaned against his shoulder.   
  
     "That's a gun and you know it. Keep moving to my guide." She said, disguising her voice lower than it's original tone. Duo wisely followed her guide when he heard the safety click off. Crystle guided him into the shadows of a darker back alley before warning him.   
  
     "Don't move. I don't want to hurt you. Just hear me out." She said quietly, tying his hands together at the wrists in the front. She leaned against the wall beside him, the gun still trained at his side.   
  
     "What do you want? Who are you?" Duo asked.   
  
     "I'm the one asking the questions here." Crystle snapped before gathering herself. "I want to know. Your first battle, in the little town in Florida, a couple of unbalanced mobile suits fell onto a mansion. The family died. Right?"   
  
     "How did you-"   
  
     "Answer me."   
  
     Duo remained silent. "Who's asking?"   
  
     Crystle debated for a moment. "You killed my kin. My relatives. I have a right to know." She said.   
  
     "How do I know you aren't lying?"   
  
     "Just answer me." Crystle tried to control her voice from rising with anger and annoyance. "I don't lie. I just want to know what really happened. I know you are Duo Maxwell, pilot 02 of Deathscythe and now, Deathscythe Hell. As to how I know you, almost the whole world knows you after you got captured last time. Now answer my question."   
  
     Duo sighed. "I don't know if the family died. It was one of my first battles, yes, and OZ was trying out a new model that was unbalanced. That's all true."   
  
     "What were your options at that time?"   
  
     "I had another suit firing at me. Either I got out of the way so the suits didn't blow up under the fire, so the town wouldn't have blown up, or I could have blown the town up."   
  
     "Those were your only options?"   
  
     "Yes."   
  
     "So the suit toppled the crushed the mansion. Then, you had to get out of the way so another suit firing at you would not end up shooting and detonating the downed suits and the crushed mansion.'   
  
     "Yes…" Duo was suspicious. This person knew what she was talking about. That cap…   
  
     "You're the girl who was trespassing yesterday."   
  
     "Trespassing? No. I'm the girl who wants the truth. I trust you aren't lying. So you aren't my enemy. Now, OZ is."   
  
     "Wait. Don't do anything so foolish as going to them. You'll only be hurt."   
  
     "I don't need you telling me what to do." She said coldly. She moved away from him, cutting his hands from the ropes and stuffing the rope into one of the numerous pockets of her jacket. Her hand on her teleportation device, she moved in front of him, a meter away.   
  
     "By the way. The gun that threatened your life this past few minutes is made of plastic." She said, tossing him the gun. His eyes shot to watch the gun and he caught it. Eyes widening in realization, he looked back to the girl. But she was gone.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saori: How'm I doing? PLEASE Review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	4. Doomed

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Gundam Wing, as much as I want to. I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making money.   
  
**AN:** Another new idea. I don't think I want to continue the ideas unless I get reviews, because it'll be pointless if no one reads them...*sigh* is my writing THAT bad?!?!?! Chapter 4 now....*sigh* three reviews…thank you mama-sama!!!   
Oh, and _'blah blah'_ denotes thoughts   
  


**_Crystal Clear   
Part 4: Doomed _**   
  
  
     When Crystle had arrived back at her room, she was surprised when she saw Treize, Zechs, a few soldiers and someone dressed in a lab coat standing by her door, Treize sitting at her desk. At her computer.   
  
     "Your Excellency! What are you doing here?" She gasped in her shock. She quickly recovered. "Are you looking for some information? I was out watching just now, but I have found nothing more. All they did was get some Chinese take out."   
  
     Treize chuckled. "Crystle, you know very well I know your every move."   
  
     "Yes sir." Crystle answered. She eyed the soldiers, and the guy in the lab coat. _'Doctor…' _ She thought in realization. She wasn't too surprised when Zechs signaled and two soldiers grabbed her. She struggled.   
  
     "Your Excellency?!" She cried, acting her part.   
  
     "Stop the drama Crystle, both you and I know that you knew this would happen."   
  
     "I don't know what you are talking about sir! Honest, I have no idea! Let me go!" She said to the soldiers. Looking up, she locked eyes with Alex. His eyes showed no emotion toward her, only hatred. _ 'What happened?' _ was her only thought.   
  
     "Please sir, might I ask for an explanation?" She tried. But before she could get an answer, the guy in the lab coat leapt forth, syringe in hand. Crystle tried to move away, but the strong hold of Alex and the other soldier prevented it. The needle entered it's anesthetic contents into Crystle, and she fell unconscious.   
  
  
  
     When Crystle regained consciousness, she was strapped into a chair in a totally different environment. The basement lab; she had finally gotten to see it. Just not the way she wanted to.   
  
     "So you awaken my little specimen…"   
  
     "Your Excellency!" Crystle struggled. "Please, explain to me, what's going on?"   
  
     Treize sat a few feet away from Crystle, swirling his red wine in it's glass.   
  
     "We know very well, both of us, that you have found the truth Crystle. That I have led you to believe that the Gundam pilots, especially 02, killed your family."   
  
     Crystle realized now, that Treize really did know. Her fear became anger.   
  
     "You lied to me!"   
  
     "Be courteous to His Excellency!" Zechs snarled. (**A.N.** Snarling??) Crystle's head tilted over towards Zechs, who was talking to the guy in the lab coat. She bit her lip, thinking.   
  
     "Now, if you want me to explain, I will." Treize leaned back, taking a sip of his wine. "You have heard of the Silencer Technique, correct?"   
  
     Crystle shook her head. She didn't know enough.   
  
     "Very well. The Silencer Technique was designed to silence people, hence the name. There are a few different ways this works, for example, to make the victim become amnesiac, or make the victim only remember bits of things. Then, there is the constant pain, and when they do something that they aren't supposed to, which is programmed into the machine that operates this technique. Of course, Lieutenant Zechs was kind enough to provide relief for the victim. Relief formulas include water, for the normal being, and marijuana for the more…complicated."   
  
     "So I've become your specimen." Crystle said softly. Her mind was going crazy; she had no idea how to get out of this one.   
  
     "No, of course not. You've simply made such good use of yourself and done so much of your duties AND extra that you are honored to be the first to use this technique, and sensitive equipment." Zechs answered. Crystle glared at him before a slight shock down her spine made her jerk.   
  
     "Be careful what you do Crystle, that chair may electrocute you."   
  
     "You wouldn't. I'm your precious specimen, or honored victim, as you put it." She spat. She was answered by a stronger jolt.   
  
     "Well, let's get this started." Treize stood, putting down his glass. "Any last words before the experiment?"   
  
     "I'll be back to kill you." Crystle vowed. A strong jolt knocked her out, and the world was black.   
  
     "Your Excellency, how would you like the specimen to be treated?" The man in the lab coat asked.   
  
     "Doctor J, you really are a genius." Treize nodded, looking again at Crystle. "I want her only to remember specific things. Bury all of her thoughts of this place. Make her think that she must kill the Gundam Pilots. Program her to fight well enough to survive."   
  
     "Do you want to monitor her with the micro chip?"   
  
     "We'll stay with what we can see her do now. If it goes out of hand, we'll simply recapture her, and insert the micro chip."   
  
     "Good idea sir. And pain relief?"   
  
     "Both. Marijuana for deep pain, of course."   
  
     "You are definitely the wisest Treize. And the most evil." Zechs chuckled.   
  
     "Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way for my precious Crystle." Treize looked again at Crystle. "How long will this take?"   
  
     "About 15 minutes sir."   
  
     "Excellent. It is now 2345. I expect her done at midnight, and dispose her in front of the Winner mansion. Give her a bit of food as well, and a thin coat so she won't die. Yet."   
  
     "Yes sir."   
  
  
  
     In exactly 30 minutes, Crystle was left on the ground across the street from the Winner mansion, with a thin coat, and two buns. And two doses of Marijuana. Conveniently, it started to snow as well.   
  
     Lucky for Crystle, the snow's liquid on her face woke her up, and she sat up groggily, sleepily. She looked up, and saw the Winner mansion, and immediately retreated into the shadows. She wondered why she did that. Oh yes. She wanted to kill Duo Maxwell. She thought hard at why.   
  
     _ 'He killed your family.' _ One thought said. Her hands closed into fists, as she fought to think again. _ 'What am I doing here? I'm sure I wasn't here before, where was I?' _ Pain shot around in her head, and she gasped, clutching her head. A thought trailed in her head. _ 'Use the medicine in your right pocket…' _   
  
     She pulled out the small packets, and put one of the two back into the pocket. She opened the packet, not caring where the thought came from. She needed to ease her pain, and fast. The word "Smoke" was scribbled on the paper that contained dried, leaf-like substance. Without another thought, she rolled up the paper carefully, then, thinking again, split it in half. Looking around in her pockets, she found a lighter, and lit it up. Shakily, she used both her hands to bring the so-called medicine to her mouth and she took a long drag. Her last thought was to think what kind of medicine it was, but the pure bliss of feeling painless once more destroyed the thought.   
  
     In his room, seeing this, Treize smiled slightly.   
  
  
  


*** 

  
  
  
  
     A couple nights later, Duo was kicked out of the mansion for being noisy. He mumbled about not doing anything wrong, walking out to the security station at the main gate to hang with the Maguanacs. The snow was deep, past his ankles, but it didn't bother him. He simply pulled his warm jacket tighter around him. He let himself into the small security building, greeting the two people who were on guard there.   
  
     "Rashid, Abdul, what's up?"   
  
     "Kicked out again Master Duo?" Abdul asked.   
  
     "Yea." Duo sighed, looking around. "What's new?" Something caught his eye. A girl was sitting outside the gate, in the snow across the street. She was frozen, Duo could tell. "Who's the girl? How long has she been sitting there?"   
  
     "She's been there for a couple of days now. Homeless, I guess."   
  
     "And you didn't take her in? Look at the weather!"   
  
     "Tried. Didn't listen. I gave her some food too, and she accepted it with a thank you only to give it to a little homeless boy who was wondering around."   
  
     "Yikes." Duo looked on. There was something familiar…   
  
     On cue, the girl looked up at him, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. Cool blue eyes greeted him, but this time, they looked lost. But Duo knew those eyes nevertheless. He gasped to himself.   
  
     "I'm going out to see if I can help her." He stated, before heading out with a donut. But he was afraid. Dead afraid. Something was terribly wrong about the situation. He knew that gaze too well. Those blue eyes don't simply look lost. They looked…drugged.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saori: Uh oh.......PLEASE REVIEW!! ^.^ 


	5. Drugged Bliss

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Gundam Wing, as much as I want to. I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making money.   
  
**AN:** Another new idea. I don't think I want to continue the ideas unless I get reviews, because it'll be pointless if no one reads them...*sigh* is my writing THAT bad?!?!?! Chapter 5 now....*sigh* four reviews…thank you mama-sama!!!   
Oh, and _'blah blah'_ denotes thoughts   
  


**_Crystal Clear   
Part 5: Drugged Bliss _**   
  
  
     Crystle watched the men in the security house across the street, observing unconsciously. The skinny, smaller man was Abdul, the one who gave her food. The taller, more hesitant one was Rashid. She was tired, and hungry. She had no idea who she was, or what she was doing on the streets, alone. A couple of guys, in their mid to late twenties, rounded the corner, chatting, and one of them almost tripped on her.   
  
     "Don't sit in the streets or you'll get yourself hurt!" He said before continuing on his way.   
  
     In her lap were a couple more doses of what she named her relief. She shrugged silently to herself, thinking that she had some mental problem, or suffered some head injury that made her thinking hard and painful. Sometimes, water would be a relief. Other times, she had to use her 'medication'. Her first packets, 2 doses separated into 4, had been finished early that morning. She didn't try to think of her past that hard, and concentrated on the present. How to get a place to live, money, and food. She looked around again, going over the features of everything on the street that she could see. All these features, she had already memorized.   
  
     _ 'I was once trained to do something…I know it.' _ Crystle thought to herself, looking at her hands. She knew her body was small and lithe, and she had endurance for something, like running. At least, she once had that endurance. Now, she was just plain hungry.   
  
     Then, a mental flash of a man with a rose and a glass of wine flashed in her head. Catching the image, she fought to remember more, trying not to fall into the pain that was growing quickly. She remembered a uniform made of dark fabric, and a tall man with a mask and long, platinum hair. She gasped as the pain hit her hard, knocking her thoughts away. Struggling, and knowing that water couldn't help her now, and she fumbled for half a dose of her relief. The man who dropped off the extra packets, had also dropped another lighter off, as she had been using hers for warmth when she had felt really cold the day before. She lit the roll of paper and leaves, and sighed when within a few minutes, she was in bliss, and out of pain. The relief kept her out of pain for about 2-3 hours each time.   
  
     She looked up another hour later, when she heard the voice of someone…familiar.   
  
     "Rashid, Abdul, what's up?"   
  
     She knew that voice. She looked at the security station, and saw another person a teenager with a long braid. She stared. She knew that person. At least he looked familiar.   
  
     In a few minutes, the braided one looked up, and the two locked eyes. Crystle shrank back slightly, feeling the violet eyes search her, and take in everything. The eyes pierced her as if they could see everything, including every one of her thoughts. She bit her lip, wondering why the teenager looked at her like that. She pulled her gaze from his eyes to his lips, trying to form the words he was saying. "I'm going out to see if I can help her." She realized abruptly, as the American stepped out of the security house, and that he was heading towards her. She was surprised she could read his lips, and slowly, she stood, stuffing the medical packages into her pocket. In less than a minute, the teen had crossed the street, and stood in front of her, about a meter and a half away.   
  
     "Hey." He said softly. She nodded slowly, uncertain, her eyes no longer focusing as the drug worked itself even deeper into her mind. She blinked, still studying the stranger, taking him in. He was taller than she was by a couple of inches, and was skinny. He was wearing a black and warm coat, his pants also black. His hair was long and braided. His hands were stuffed in his pockets. And for some reason, the back of her mind registered a gun. She faintly wondered why and how her mind could and did register all the information.   
  
     "Who are you?" He asked. She didn't answer, shivering slightly as his eyes stared through her again. She thought hard. Why was he so familiar?   
  
     "Would you like to come inside before you freeze to death?" Duo asked, a small grin tugging at the corner of his lips. She shook her head. "Well, I don't want to freeze here and it is REALLY cold. So, why don't you walk we me down a block to the little café?"   
  
     Crystle nodded, and turned in the direction of the café. She knew where he was talking about, and followed him toward the warm building. She stopped just outside the café as Duo held the door opened for her.   
  
     "I don't have any money." She whispered. Duo took in the quiet voice.   
  
     "Don't worry about it. My treat." He said, gesturing with his hand for her to enter. She shook her head.   
  
     "No."   
  
     "It's all right. If you aren't going to eat, at least accompany me all right?"   
  
     Crystle thought for a moment. She felt warm, the bubbly sensation of bliss and painlessness coursing through her body. But she nodded anyway, walking into the small place. The two slid into a booth, and Duo ordered a coffee and a hot chocolate. They were silent until the drinks came, and Duo wrapped his hands around the cup.   
  
     "Ah…warm at last. How long have you been sitting out there?"   
  
     "2 days. Today is the third."   
  
     "What?!" Duo exclaimed. He thought Abdul was just joking. Who could survive out in the cold for almost three days with nothing? _ 'Maybe Heero…Perfect Soldier…' _ Duo's mind reasoned. But this was a little girl.   
  
     "What's your name?"   
  
     "…"   
  
     "Oh, sorry. I didn't introduce myself either. I'm Matthew Darwin. You can call me Matt. You?"   
  
     A click in Crystle's head told her he was lying, but why? "You're lying." She whispered. She watched as his eyes widened for a moment before he hid his surprise.   
  
     "Lying? Me? No way. I run and hid but I never lie." He said. Crystle noted that the teen said those words proudly.   
  
     _ 'Duo Maxwell. I run and hide, but I never tell a lie.' _ That line ran through her head. Where did that come from? She had no idea. Her hands closed into fists as she cursed her memories for coming in little phrases that meant nothing to her.   
  
     "Duo Maxwell." She blurted. The American sighed, taking a sip of his coffee.   
  
     "You may as well drink that hot chocolate. I ordered it for you. Take it. A gift."   
  
     Crystle nodded. The smell of the chocolate was tempting. She took a sip, eyes closing as she savored the warmth of the liquid and the sweet taste.   
  
     "You look like you've never had hot chocolate."   
  
     Crystle opened her eyes and shrugged.   
  
     "Well, can you tell me who you are now?"   
  
     "I…" Crystle trailed off, not knowing how to answer.   
  
     "You…?" Duo urged. He wanted an answer.   
  
     "I don't know." She confessed, her eyes closing again. She lifted her elbows onto the table, and put her head into her hands, palms over her eyes. "I wish I knew."   
  
     Duo caught sight of a silver bracelet peeking out from her thin jacket's sleeve.   
  
     "May I see your bracelet?"   
  
     "Huh?" Crystle looked at her wrists before seeing the bracelet. "Where'd that come from?" She muttered to herself. She pulled it out and took it off, examining it first herself. She read the word engraved onto the bracelet, but it meant nothing to her. She handed it to Duo.   
  
     Duo examined the thin silver, and read the word. His eyes widened and he flipped it over, reading the inside.   
  
     "Crystle." He muttered. He flipped it back over and re-read the word, in case he had it wrong before. "Silenced 1".   
  
     "Huh?" Crystle looked up again, confused.   
  
     "Your name is Crystle. Do you know what happened to you before the two days you were in the streets? Where did you come from and what are you doing here?"   
  
     Crystle glanced at the clock. She judged that she was safe from pain as only about 1½ hour had passed since her dose of relief, or so she guessed. She thought hard.   
  
     "My name is Crystle…" She said, somewhat hesitantly. "I don't know…I'm…here to kill Duo Maxwell." She murmured, looking him in the eyes. "I'm here to kill you." She said more firmly. He sat back.   
  
     "How? And Why?"   
  
     "I don't know. Am I a killer? How did you know my name?"   
  
     "Read it on the inside of the bracelet." To Duo, the girl looked harmless, but he had to take precautions. But she looked so out of it he doubted she could do anything to him before he reacted first.   
  
     "You don't look like anything but a little girl to me. I'm guessing you're 13, 14 at the most."   
  
     "What?"   
  
     "Your age."   
  
     "Oh. Why do I have to kill you?"   
  
     "I'd rather not talk about it here." Duo said in a low voice. "I need to make a phone call. Stay here all right? Order something to eat o.k?"   
  
     Crystle nodded, and Duo stood, walking to the payphone to call Quatre. As told, Crystle called a waitress, and ordered a sandwich.   
  
     The phone rang a couple of times before anyone picked up.   
  
     "Winner here." Quatre knew that only specific people had the phone number to the phone he was using.   
  
     "Quatre. Duo here."   
  
     "Hey Duo. You can come back in now."   
  
     "Actually, I'm at the café. Are you with the guys?"   
  
     "Yea."   
  
     "O.k. Remember the file with the new technique?" Duo lowered his voice. "Silencer?"   
  
     Quatre paused a moment before answer. "Yes."   
  
     "I found the first specimen."   
  
     "You what?"   
  
     "I found the first victim. She's really out of it though. I'm not sure what's up yet, because she doesn't even seem to know."   
  
     "Are you sure?"   
  
     "Positive. There's a bracelet indication too. It seems really obvious, but she didn't even know it was there. She's drugged."   
  
     "All right. One sec Duo."   
  
     Duo waited, hearing a murmur of words as Quatre related the information to the other people. Someone else picked up the phone.   
  
     "Duo."   
  
     "Hey Trowa."   
  
     "Bring her back if you can."   
  
     Duo glanced at Crystle, who had her head in her hands, the sandwich he guessed she had ordered sitting at the side, untouched. She was biting her lip hard, and her eyes were squeezed shut. The waitress was trying to talk to her, but she didn't answer.   
  
     "Something's up. She's reacting to something. I'll try my best. Out." Duo hung up, and walked quickly back to the booth, sliding in across from Crystle once more, gesturing for the waitress to leave. He reached out, and gently tapped Crystle on the wrist. Her head snapped up and she gasped. Duo studied her for a moment as their eyes locked again. They were cleared, and the cold blue gaze was back, but this time, they were in agony. She broke the gaze, fumbling in her pockets before she stood and rushed out of the shop. Duo dropped some money on the table, and rushed out after her.   
  
     Once outside the café, Crystle picked up some of the clean snow at the side of the building, pressing it to her forehead. She pulled up her sleeves and sat down in the snow, taking deep breaths, brushing the snow over her bare skin. Duo came out, looking around before he saw her, and immediately pulled her up.   
  
     "You'll get sick doing that! Are you crazy?" He tugged her sleeves down and pulled off his own jacket.   
  
     "Anything I'm wearing under this jacket is warmer than what she's wearing!" He muttered to himself, wrapping the coat around the freezing girl as she shivered and breathed in deeply.   
  
     "My medicine." She gasped. Duo nodded, and reached into her two side pockets. He pulled out what was in them, and handed it to her. To his surprise, she rolled something up and lit it with the lighter, taking a long drag before choking and breathing, taking another drag.   
  
     "What the hell? What kind of medicine is that?" Duo asked, grabbing her wrist to study it.   
  
     "Duo. That isn't medicine." Duo whirled, still gripping Crystle's wrist.   
  
     "Heero! Don't do that! You ALWAYS just pop up!" Duo turned back to see Crystle trying to take another drag of her 'medicine'. Then, Duo took it all from her, and she collapsed onto the ground, in the snow, breathing deeply.   
  
     "No shit Heero. I was right. She is drugged. She's drugging herself." He crouched down, waving his hands in front of the girl. "Hey. Do you know what the heck this stuff is?" He asked.   
  
     "Medicine…it says…"   
  
     "No way. It's marijuana. It's bad for you." Duo pocketed it anyway. It was easily seen that the girl needed for relief against something she was battling. It would be useful to get her to talk if they needed it, or just to help her if she were dying. He had a feeling that it was all because of the Silencer Technique. He frowned, standing and tugging the girl with him. She leaned slightly against him, tired and unstable, shivering uncontrollably. Suddenly, she fell against him, and he caught her before she fell. He looked at Heero with a frown. As he had thought, Heero had hit her, rendering her unconscious.   
  
     "Put her out of her misery. Get her back to the mansion." Heero lifted her up from Duo, walking quickly back to the mansion. Duo paused a moment, ducking back into the café to pick up the sandwich and his change before running after Heero.   
  
     In Crystle's mind, there was darkness before a light filled it. The image of the man with the rose appeared.   
  
     "Kill Duo Maxwell. Kill every one of his friends. It is your mission." He said.   
  
     "Why…? I don't…understand…"   
  
  
  
     Then, it was dark once more.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saori: Well? PLEASE REVIEW!! Time for bed now!! Tell me what you think!! Any ideas for me????????? Please tell me!! 


	6. Failed Interrogation

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Gundam Wing, as much as I want to. I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making money.   
  
**AN:** Another new idea. I don't think I want to continue the ideas unless I get reviews, because it'll be pointless if no one reads them...*sigh* is my writing THAT bad?!?!?! Chapter 6 now...more reviews!! YAY!!!   
Oh, and _'blah blah'_ denotes thoughts   
  


**_Crystal Clear   
Part 6: Failed Interrogation _**   
  
  
     Crystle awoke with a pounding headache. Unconsciously out of habit, she awaited to hear where she was and who was with her before opening her eyes. She tried to keep her breathing steady as she listened for every sound and took in every scent with each breath. She knew she was at a foreign place just from the feel of the atmosphere.   
  
     _ 'Wait a minute, how can I tell all of this?' _ She asked herself, and then mentally shook her head. Now wasn't the time to wonder.   
  
     "Heero hit her so she didn't have to suffer." A voice she recognized as Duo's said in answer to another gentle and lowered voice.   
  
     "Suffer from what?" The questioning voice asked.   
  
     "Something's wrong with her. She's taking marijuana as medication."   
  
     There was a quiet gasp.   
  
     "No, not by herself, she had no idea. Something is up…remember the file? It's more advanced than what we read. It said that the victim would forget. I think it's been changed. There's more than we know. She was drugged when I confronted her, and then she was somewhat fine until I asked her questions. She got shaky, and then suddenly ran out and hopped into the snow. When I pulled her out so she wouldn't get sick, she pulled out the drug. The first two drags and she wasn't in pain anymore."   
  
     "So something she did gave her pain and she used the snow then the drug for relief? Did you take note of what she did?"   
  
     "Apart from talking, she had hot chocolate, ordered a sandwich but didn't eat it. According to Abdul, she's been sitting out there for a couple of days, then when I asked she confirmed today was the third. Abdul said she never left from across the street, and what food he gave her she gave to another homeless little boy."   
  
     "So one possibility is that hot chocolate is bad for her, or side effects from not having eaten for so long, although I can't see how marijuana helps."   
  
     "I don't know either. But I'm willing to bet that it's something to do with the Silencer Technique. And that she was the first victim."   
  
     "Any other victim, we would have known, right?"   
  
     "Not necessarily Q-man. The only reason I found out was the bracelet."   
  
     "I think it's time you stopped talking." A third voice entered the conversation. Crystle tried to pay attention, to feel on instinct how many people were in the room, but she had no idea. Judging from the three voices she had heard, the people were around the room, Duo's voice being the closest.   
  
     "Why is that Wu-man?" Duo asked.   
  
     "That girl is awake."   
  
     "What?"   
  
     Suddenly, Crystle felt movement in front of her face. Out of pure instinct, she couldn't help but quirk her eyebrows and snap open her eyes in surprise.   
  
     "How long have you been awake?" Duo asked, his expression neutral. Crystle sat up only to have a gun pointed at her head. She stopped, biting her lip.   
  
     "How long?" The person asked. Crystle turned slightly to see a blue tank top and jeans, and looked up to see someone with unruly hair and a glare.   
  
     "Go ahead and shoot me and then you'll never get your answers." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. _ 'Why in the world did I say that?!' _   
  
     The teen clicked off the safety on the gun, moving to press it to the side of her head. "Answer the question."   
  
     "I heard something about a hero." She answered, looking him in the eye. Inside, she was afraid, scare out of her wits. She wondered why she was so calm.   
  
     "That would be Heero. Not hero. He's the one with the gun on ya. Remember me? I'm Duo."   
  
     Crystle nodded. "Where am I?" She got up the courage to grab the gun in a quick movement, pushing it away. The gun pointed toward another person in the room, a blonde, and this Heero immediately clicked the safety back on, pointing the gun up towards the ceiling. Crystle rubbed the back of her head and neck, flinching at a bit of pain.   
  
     "Sorry about that. Heero needed to put you out of your misery so he hit you to knock you unconscious."   
  
     "Gee, I don't know if I should thank you or hit you back." She said sarcastically to the glaring teen.   
  
     "Hi there." The blond stepped closer to the bed and interrupted Heero before he could speak, placing himself between the trigger-happy teen and the girl. "I'm Quatre. You're Crystle?"   
  
     Crystle nodded.   
  
     "Welcome to my house. Sorry if you feel out of place or anything but we need you to help us answer a few questions."   
  
     Crystle looked surprised for a moment before she turned away, looking at the blankets. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, after all, you wouldn't bring me back here for no reason. But, before you ask anything, can you listen to me?" She looked up back and Quatre nodded a positive.   
  
     "First off, Guy over there by the door, the one with the ponytail, if you don't mind, stop looking at me like that. I don't think I want to be here, just as you don't want me here. It isn't fun to be asked questions. Second, whatever questions you have, I don't guarantee answers because I don't remember too much. I didn't even know my name, at least not until Duo told me my name. I have no idea where I was before I somehow ended up in front of a big house and I sat on the ground across the street from it because of two reasons. One, I had nowhere else to go. Two, something told me I was meant to be there. I'm taking a guess I'm inside that house?"   
  
     "Yea. This is it." Duo said, glancing at Quatre.   
  
     "And I would also guess that Duo would know more about me than I know about myself, so whatever questions you have, I'll answer what I can. But I just want to tell you not to expect too much. And before you ask…" Crystle glared at Wufei who was opening his mouth to speak. "Before you ask, I'm not lying because I have no reason to. I want to know about me as much as you do and probably more."   
  
     Wufei leaned back against the wall.   
  
     "So could I please have an introduction, even if they are fake names so I can at least have a name to a face?"   
  
     "Oh! I'm sorry!" Quatre exclaimed. "You know me, Duo and Heero, that's Wufei at the door, with the ponytail, and Trowa over there." He gestured to the tall pilot standing against the wall by the end of the bed."   
  
     "Thank you. So, on to your questions?"   
  
     "Well, we know your name is Crystle, and you said you don't remember anything to the point where you were sitting across the street from this house?"   
  
     "Yes."   
  
     "Any idea at all why?"   
  
     "I'm not sure. One thought that keeps running through my head is that I have to kill Duo Maxwell. But…" She quickly said when Heero went for his gun again, the others tensing. "I will not do anything until I have reason. I don't even know how to kill, save the basics that everyone knows, like grabbing a knife. And I won't do anything to Duo now because he was the one who got me out of the streets."   
  
     Duo relaxed, as did Quatre, but the other three pilots remained tense. Trowa moved to stand, Heero's hand on his gun, and Wufei's hand was playing with the handle of his sword.   
  
     "And you have no idea why you have that thought?"   
  
     "No, but Duo said he did, if I remember so from the café?"   
  
     "Yea. But I'll tell you later after my questions."   
  
     Crystle nodded. "You're the boss here. I don't have anything to protect myself and there are 3 guys here that are ready to kill me, by gun, sword, or simply snapping my neck."   
  
     Duo shook his head for a moment before taking a deep breath. "What else do you remember? Why were you taking marijuana? Why were you sitting in the snow? And what goes on that makes you do this stuff?" Duo asked in one breath.   
  
     "One question at a time Duo!" Quatre shook his head with a small smile.   
  
     "There's flashes of someone with a wine glass and a rose, the image of things pop up when something comes up. I know I have flashes of things and thoughts but I lose them when I try to think about them. That's when the pain comes. It shoots around in my head and it's like…" She trailed off, trying to think of something. "When it's considerably light, it's like this annoying nag in the head, continually pounding. Then, when it is the most intense, at least what I've been through, it's like a drill going through the brain, and someone is holding my brain and crushing it. It's excruciating pain, I don't know why I came up with that explanation, but it kills. The snow, or I'm guessing any kind of water does relief to the light pain, and the other medication for the more intense pain."   
  
     "That makes sense. Marijuana makes a person blank to feelings, and they're in bliss. Am I right?" Duo guessed. Crystle nodded.   
  
     "So thinking makes you hurt?" He continued. Again, she nodded. "And now?"   
  
     "I'll live. I'd rather do this all at once then have it over and over."   
  
     "You're hurting?" Quatre asked, worried.   
  
     "Only a bit. Can I have a glass of water?"   
  
     "Hn." Wufei left the room.   
  
     "Anytime I think really hard, there's like…a block. It hurts and like Duo said, the medication puts me in bliss for a while. Some guys walked by earlier today, and gave me another few doses, but I didn't catch their looks or anything. They looked like any other person I see on the street, I was too tired and dazed to look. I only saw their back."   
  
     "Anything in particular?" Trowa asked quietly. Crystle paused, thinking before answering.   
  
     "They were pretty covered, who wouldn't have been in the cold? But…" She trailed off taking a deep breath, eyes closed as she tried to find the images before the pain overwhelmed her. "White and blond hair. Platinum." She finally said. "Hidden, but I remember catching a glimpse of it." She lowered her head, resting it in her hands as she fought the pain, which increased the more she thought to make it go away. There was a hand on her shoulder and she flinched from it, looking up.   
  
     "Take a break, don't think too hard." Quatre said softly. She smiled a little before a glass of water was held in front of her face.   
  
     "Thank you Wufei." She said, taking the glass shakily. She was about to take a drink when a thought ran through her head.   
  
     _ 'Drugged.' _   
  
     "The water is drugged." She said quietly, turning to look at Wufei.   
  
     "Hn. She knows more than what we see. There's a tasteless and colorless aspirin-type pill in there to help your head." Wufei said. He was surprised that she knew. The less pain she was in, the more answers they got. At least, that was his theory. She nodded.   
  
     "Thank you." She repeated before taking a long drink. She closed her eyes again before she handed the glass to Duo, who put it at the table by the bed when suddenly, she looked up, tense.   
  
     "OZ." She murmured. "Roses, wine, swords, robots, long hair, mask, doctors and…child-" She cut off abruptly with a gasp of pain, the palms of her hand covering her eyes as she fought the intense pain. She fell back onto the bed, curling up into a small ball as she clutched her head. Duo jumped into action, pulling her up quickly.   
  
     "Quatre you have spare clothes?"   
  
     "Yes." Quatre said, confused. Why was Duo worried about clothes when there was a problem?   
  
     "Good, grab some warm clothes for her." He scooped her up and headed quickly for the bathroom. The shower was turned on, and there was a shriek of surprise from Crystle. Quatre left quickly to get the clothes, and the remaining pilots looked at each other before going back to neutral positions.   
  
     In record time, Quatre had grabbed and ensemble clothes from Duo's room including a black t-shirt, a blank hoodie with a line of red going down to the wrist from the shoulder of each arm, and loose black pants. He knocked before entering the bathroom.   
  
     "Clothes." He said, looking at Duo. Duo only acknowledged with a nod, his attention not leaving the girl. He had filled the tub with cool water, not too cold, and Crystle was in the tub, in her clothes, willing the pain away.   
  
     "Let me try something." Quatre said. He moved forward, tapping Crystle on the shoulder.   
  
     "Crystle, can I try to connect with you?"   
  
     She only nodded quickly before dunking into the water again. She was in too much pain to care what he meant. Quatre nodded, and closed his eyes. He willed himself to go into Crystle's mind, either to take away the blocks or to share the pain. A few minutes later, he apparently succeeded, for he cried out in surprise and agony, sprawling backwards onto the tile floor. Crystle gasped, grabbing Duo, who jumped up to Quatre.   
  
     "Please Duo, I need the drug." She gasped. "Please!"   
  
     "No. Just give me a moment." He muttered, pulling away from her to get to Quatre. Immediately, the others were at the door.   
  
     "What happened?" Heero asked in monotone, looking at Quatre and glaring at Crystle.   
  
     "Quatre tried to connect with her or something, then he fell back. Q-man, you all right?" He asked, pulling the blond up to sit. Quatre took in a few deep breaths before nodding shakily.   
  
     "Give her the drug Duo, she'll really be hurt if you don't." He gasped. "That pain, is…I can't explain it. It's worse than anything I've ever felt before, anything."   
  
     Duo sighed and nodded. "Trowa, will you?"   
  
     Trowa nodded, and disappeared, appearing moments later with the zip lock bag Duo had used to hold all of Crystle's drugs. Duo nodded, taking the bag and took out the half dose, lighting it before handing it to Crystle. She thanked him, grabbing the drug and taking a long drag. Then few more drags. Her eyes slipped closed, and she sighed in relief.   
  
     "Better?"   
  
     "Yea." She murmured.   
  
     "Can you get up and get dressed? Then take a rest before we go on."   
  
     Crystle nodded shakily before standing with Duo's help. He handed her a towel, then exited the bathroom, closing the door for her privacy. Trowa had already helped Quatre out.   
  
     Blindly, Crystle peeled off her wet clothes, leaving them in the drained tub, and dried herself as best as she could manage, and then pulled on the black clothes. She stumbled out of the room, and Duo steadied her, guiding her to the bed. She sat down, eyes closed, relaxed. She then looked up at Duo, eyes clouded in her drugged state.   
  
     "Thanks." She slurred.   
  
     "Get some rest." Duo helped her lie down and she closed her eyes, fast asleep.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saori: NEW CHAPTER!! How is it?? Tell me in a Review PLEASE!!! THANK YOU!!!! ^_^ 


	7. Joining Forces

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Gundam Wing, as much as I want to. I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making money.   
  
**AN:** Another new idea. I don't think I want to continue the ideas unless I get reviews, because it'll be pointless if no one reads them...*sigh* is my writing THAT bad?!?!?! Chapter 7 now...more reviews!! YAY!!!   
Oh, and _'blah blah'_ denotes thoughts   
  


**_Crystal Clear   
Part 7: Joining Forces _**   
  
  
     Crystle blinked sleepily when she woke up in the morning. Some of the light from the awakening dawn filtered into the room from the edges of the curtain that was thankfully closed. Her head pounded, and she groaned, closing her eyes again.   
  
     "Awake?"   
  
     Crystle's eyes shot open and she sat up quickly.   
  
     "Whoa, slow down Crystle." Two hands steadied her and she looked up to see Duo.   
  
     "Duo, you scared me."   
  
     "Sorry. How do you feel?"   
  
     "How long have I been sleeping?" She had a feeling she hadn't just slept for a night.   
  
     "Two days. It's just 6 now." Duo yawned. Crystle frowned.   
  
     "How long have you been awake here watching me?"   
  
     "Since 2, so 4 hours."   
  
     "You're afraid that I'll run, or steal?" Crystle asked. She looked at her hands, one of them playing with the bracelet on her left wrist.   
  
     "No! You had a fever, we just had to monitor you." Crystle looked up in surprise when Duo brushed back her bangs, feeling the temperature of her forehead.   
  
     "Yup. It's down now, but you're still slightly feverish."   
  
     Crystle blushed slightly and glanced down at her clothes. Black pants, black hoodie, and a t-shirt underneath. Her brow furrowed in confusion.   
  
     "I didn't know I was wearing black before."   
  
     "You weren't. Don't you remember?"   
  
     Crystle shook her head slowly. She only remembered snippets of the events of her first night at the house.. Duo sighed and sat down beside her on the bed, leaning against the headboard, his eyes closed. Crystle shifted over uneasily, giving him more space.   
  
     "You had another pain attack. Tried to dunk you, of course, in your clothes. Then, it didn't work and Quatre said to give you a drug anyway. Then, we had to get you changed out of the wet clothes, and Quatre grabbed my clothes for what he said was the best fit, and you got changed before you were too drowsy. And then you fell unconscious…or asleep. I couldn't tell."   
  
     "Your clothes…?"   
  
     "I'm the only one who wears black here normally, so yea."   
  
     Again, Crystle blushed. "I'm sorry."   
  
     "It's fine, as long as you don't mind." Duo yawned. "Listen, do you feel like getting up?"   
  
     "Uh…sure…"   
  
     "Good. Then we can get some breakfast in a few hours."   
  
     "Um…o.k."   
  
     "You'll stay here?"   
  
     "I have nowhere else to go."   
  
     "Well, could I take a nap?"   
  
     "Sure?" Crystle blinked stupidly at him, not that Duo noticed. He was already asleep.   
  
     Waiting a few minutes to make sure Duo was deeply asleep, Crystle got off the end of the bed and stood up, making sure Duo didn't awaken. The light from outside was brighter now as the sun awoke from its slumber. Deciding to go wash her face, Crystle glanced around and located the bathroom. The next second, she was on the ground. She cursed silently, glancing at her feet. The black pants were way too long. With a quiet sigh, Crystle stood, tugging the pants higher up so that she could walk, making a point to ask for a belt later.   
  
     Upon reaching the bathroom, she closed the door and locked it before turning to face the full-length mirror. She gawked at herself. For some reason, she almost didn't even recognize herself. Almost. Her hair was tangled and loose, but at least her face was clean. The larger clothes hid her body and she shivered, hugging herself. Turning to the sink, she switched on the water and splashed her face. Realizing she didn't have a towel, she prayed Duo wouldn't mind, and wiped her face with her sleeve. She frowned at her messy hair, and decided to at least try to comb it. She was raising her fingers to her hair when she heard a quiet knock. She turned and opened the door to see Quatre.   
  
     "Good morning." Quatre whispered. Crystle nodded. "Duo's asleep. You might want to use the brush. We don't have any extra clothes for you, but if you want, you can still take a shower." Quatre handed her three towels of three different sizes. "One for your hair, one for your face, and the other one for you."   
  
     "Thank you." She whispered. Upon reflection, Crystle realized that she hadn't had a shower for a while.   
  
     "Welcome." Quatre closed the door, and Crystle dropped the towels on the counter and turned on the water. With a sigh, she tugged off the warm hoodie, blinking at the black t-shirt.   
  
     "Everything black all right." She muttered before fully undressing and stepping into the shower.   
  
     30 minutes later, she emerged from the warm spray and began the task of drying herself. Once dressed again in the warm hoodie, Crystle set to work on her hair. It took another 15 minutes to be completely refreshed. She brushed her teeth and washed her face again before exiting the bathroom, feeling a lot cleaner. Duo was still asleep, and Crystle turned to the door of the balcony. Knowing she shouldn't go outside, she settled for pushing the curtains back a bit, and leaning against the balcony door. She crossed her arms in front of herself, and observed the sky. By now, the sun had completely risen, and shone brightly. The trees outside, mostly evergreens, were blanketed with snow. There were few clouds in the sky, and Crystle thought with relief that she was indoors, in the warmth.   
  
     She then sat down against the wall in thought. She had dreamt last night. She was a part of OZ. What was she doing here with the enemy? Surely, they too know that she was their enemy, didn't they? Out of habit, she ran through what she knew about each of the individual pilots.   
  
     Heero Yuy, code named, pilot 01 of Wing Zero, from L1. Good at computers and is the Perfect Soldier.   
  
     Duo Maxwell, pilot 02 of Deathscythe Hell, from L2. Orphan, lived on the streets, immune to the plague, lived in Maxwell Church. Master of stealth, and lock picking. Murderer of her father, mother and brother.   
  
     She paused at that. That was why she had to kill him. But in the back of her mind, she knew she had reason not to kill him yet. But she couldn't quite figure it out. She went on.   
  
     Trowa Barton, pilot 03 of Heavyarms, from L3. Only family is Catherine, and worked at the traveling circus as a clown. Flexible acrobat.   
  
     Quatre Raberba Winner, pilot 04 of Sandrock, from L4. Family of 29 sisters, father and mother both dead. Heir to the Winner fortune and the head of Winners Enterprise Inc, or WEI. Strategist.   
  
     Chang Wufei, pilot 05 of Shenlong, from L5. Destroyed clan in war, once married, lost all family. Sword specialist. Justice and honor is very important to him.   
  
     Wait a minute. For a moment, Crystle was confused. Since when did she 'habitually' run through stats like that, and how did she know that information? She tried to remember the night she arrived at the house. Being questioned, and then there was pain. She remembered a list of words she said after she took the aspirin-like drug in the water Wufei gave her. Roses, wine, swords, robots, long hair, mask, and doctors.   
  
     She looked up when the door opened. It was the tall one, Trowa, Crystle recalled. She stood, somewhat tense. He beckoned to her and after a moment, she followed. She didn't want to go somewhere without the presence of Duo, but knew she wouldn't have a choice. Besides, Quatre would still be there…or so she hoped. Trowa didn't say anything until the door was closed and she stood, barefooted on the carpet of the hall, the long pants covering her feet and warming them. She jammed her hands into the two-sided pocket at her stomach, and looked up at Trowa.   
  
     "Are you well enough to talk?" He asked, looking her over. Crystle nodded.   
  
     "Yes."   
  
     "Come with me then. We'll let Duo sleep a while. He'll be down later." He started down the hallway, then looked back to see Crystle following, lagging a bit.   
  
     "I won't hurt you. Despite what the others look like, they won't either. You may be the link to something that we need."   
  
     "Oz." She muttered. Trowa paused, then nodded.   
  
     "Don't worry. We won't hurt you."   
  
     "Doesn't look like I have a choice." She murmured to herself. Trowa heard, but gave no answer.   
  
     Before long, he turned down another hallway, and knocked on the door before entering.   
  
     "Good morning again, Crystle. Feel better after showering?" Quatre asked. He was sitting on a couch. Wufei was on the ground in the center, meditating, Heero at the desk, typing rapidly on a laptop. She gulped, seeing his gun beside him.   
  
     "Yes Quatre, thank you." She whispered, tugging at her loose, long pants unconsciously, suddenly very nervous.   
  
     "Do you feel up to talking?" Quatre glanced to Heero, and saw the gun that Crystle was eyeing warily. "Well, take a seat then." He gestured toward the sofas and armchairs as he walked to the desk. Reaching across it, he picked up the gun. Heero's hand shot out and caught it, glaring at the blond.   
  
     "Heero, you're making her uncomfortable. If we can get her to remember more, we can find the children that are missing, and know more about OZ. But we can't do that if she's uncomfortable."   
  
     "Hn." Heero took the gun from Quatre's slack hold, slipping it under the desk. His hand found the clasp there, and he put the gun in place, ready for him should he need it.   
  
     As told, Crystle sat down in an armchair. It looked too big to fit her, and she curled up, turning to face Quatre.   
  
     "We don't mean to push you Crystle…but-"   
  
     "You want to know. I remember a bit." Crystle continued when Quatre nodded. "The list I gave you last time, I remember it clearly: roses, wine, swords, robots, long hair, mask, and doctors. I think I figure out what applies to what, and it's helping me think."   
  
     "We have some ideas too, but, what to do think?" Quatre sat down across from her. Wufei stood, retreating to stand by the wall as Trowa took another armchair.   
  
     "Roses and wine apply to one person. I don't know who he is, at least I don't remember his name, but he's the influence of the whole situation. Swords apply to him and the guy with the long hair and mask, his left or right hand. Robots…I mean the Leos and Aries, mobile suits. Doctors…I'm struggling over that one. And I remember children." Crystle paused, pushing the nag at the back of her head away.   
  
     "Wufei?" She looked up at the Asian youth. "Remember the water you gave me with the pill?"   
  
     "Yes?"   
  
     "Can I get another one now?"   
  
     Wufei straightened, eyes narrowed. "Why?"   
  
     "It helps me think."   
  
     Nodding without another word, Wufei headed toward the kitchen.   
  
     "Crystle, are you sure that it's all right for you to take that drug? It isn't healthy."   
  
     "Quatre, I want to know as much as you guys. If it helps, then I'll do it."   
  
     "All right." Quatre murmured.   
  
     "Then there's Duo." Crystle continued.   
  
     "What about Duo?" Trowa asked.   
  
     "He…" Crystle trailed off as a rush of memories hit her. As quick as she could, she reeled them off. "He killed my family and I came to kill him. I'm an orphan, and I became a part of OZ to observe them. I'm in OZ against my will, but I stayed so I could kill Duo. Doctors, they do experiments. Silencer technique." Crystle fumbled for her bracelet. "It's what they did to me, what they experimented…" She trailed off, head tilted to the side, as if listening.   
  
     "What's wrong?" Quatre asked, alarmed.   
  
     Immediately, Crystle silenced him, running quickly to Heero.   
  
     "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Heero growled. Crystle didn't answer, pulling the laptop away from the working youth. Ignoring what was on the screen, she closed them, knowing they were automatically saved. She opened a new document, and typed up everything that she had said, and continued.   
  
     "I'm not speaking. Someone's listening in. There's a listener, somewhere." Out loud, she spoke now.   
  
     "Thank you Wufei." She drank the water quickly, and then continued to type. "I'm faking pain to get the listener to leave. He will when he thinks I pass out."   
  
     Without waiting, she dropped the glass with a cry of pain, falling over, clutching her head.   
  
     "Crystle!" Quatre caught on, leaning down over her. "Crystle, get up, there's a bathroom across the hall, for water!" He pulled the girl to his feet as she hissed in pain, following his lead to the bathroom. Once in there, he turned on the shower, looking slightly apologetic. She ignored him, kneeling down, head over in the tub. With a quick breath, she signaled, Quatre spraying the water over her. She screamed in real surprise as the water was cold, but ignored it. After a while, she closed her eyes and slumped down, signaling she had 'passed out'. Quatre turned off the spray, taking the towel from Trowa.   
  
     "She's out again." He said with a sigh, handing the towel to the girl. She took it, rubbing her cold head, wiping away the water.   
  
     "I'll take her to the next room. Duo's still sleeping in the room she was staying in." Trowa offered. That was all they said as Crystle stood silently, following them back to the study in the hall. She picked up the laptop again.   
  
     "Great job." She typed. "Now, onto the rest of it. They experimented on me; I was their first victim. There is an underground lab of the base I was staying at. There are disappearing children, for 5 days. They're trained in these 5 days and released without a memory of those 5 days. But once triggered, they'll return to OZ, and then there'll be no hope. I'm sure none of you Gundam Pilots want to kill children. I know that there's more to all of this than just my mission to kill Duo. I found out about something, and they needed to get rid of me." She looked up at them, head pounding. She continued typing, locking eyes with Quatre.   
  
     "There's a teleportation device, that I just need to remember how to make, that allows this person to appear and disappear at their will that I'm sure you know of."   
  
     "Like I said I'm in to kill Duo. I will once I gather why I have to kill him. I don't know about the doctors. What do you know?" Crystle turned to Wufei. He took the laptop.   
  
     "We know you mean Zechs and Treize." Wufei answered, scanning the document after he typed.   
  
     Crystle nodded when she typed again. "Treize is under Zechs?" She closed the laptop.   
  
     "It's all right to talk now." She murmured.   
  
     "How do you know?" Quatre asked, surprised. Crystle frowned. "I don't know. I just…feel."   
  
     "Are you sure?" Trowa whispered. She nodded.   
  
     "100%."   
  
     "Zech's is under Treize. Zech's has the mask and long white hair. Treize is the wine and rose." Wufei answered. "Both are good with the sword."   
  
     Crystle nodded. "Then Zech's is the one who continually reports to Treize about the lab. I wanted to go down and check it out, but then I was taken there, the next thing I know, I was sitting outside here." She sighed. "My head hurts, can I take a break?"   
  
     "Of course!" Quatre smiled. "Although most of the things you told us, we knew. The children, do you remember anything else?"   
  
     "No. I never figured out how it worked, where they were kept. I know I was one of them. But no report was filed on me, so they kept me. Found out I was an orphan." She sighed, curling up in the armchair again. "Can you tell me why I want to kill Duo? Do you know?" She asked.   
  
     "I do." Duo said as he entered the room. Crystle looked up, and then stood up, making her way to stand in front of Duo.   
  
     "Did you kill them?" She asked quietly. Duo paused, as if to firm his own thoughts before answering.   
  
     "No. The house was crushed under OZ's new suits, which were unstable. I had no choice. It was either get out of the way and let the house be crushed, or let the whole town burn. I couldn't risk the town over one house." He lowered his head. "I'm sorry." He whispered. He was surprised when arms wrapped around him.   
  
     "Thank you Duo." Crystle murmured, quickly stepping back. "I know you had no choice." She paused before nodding to herself. "You did the right thing." She turned to the others.   
  
     "If you allow, I want to join you, and help you bring peace, and bring the children back." She whispered. "Please, let me stay."   
  
     "Of course you can stay." Quatre said. "You can tell us more as you remember. You'll be a houseguest."   
  
     "Quatre!" Wufei barked. "We're-"   
  
     "We're pilots Wufei." Quatre cut him off. "She's not an enemy anymore. She's a girl who needs a home because she lost her family and was deceived by OZ. It will be our honor to take care of her with us, and her justice to rebel against OZ. She will achieve her justice. It is our honor to help her achieve it."   
  
     Wufei glared at Quatre before storming out of the room. Crystle glanced at Quatre.   
  
     "He'll be all right." Quatre smiled. Crystle smiled back, almost shyly.   
  
     "Thank you." She whispered. "I appreciate this."   
  
     "No problem." Duo said with a grin. "Now, let's get some breakfast!" Crystle returned the grin.   
  
     "But before that Duo…" She turned to all of them. "Anyone have a belt I can borrow? These pants are a bit loose…"   
  
     "Are you calling me fat?" Duo asked, mocking anger. Crystle looked surprised.   
  
     "Of course not Duo!" She bit her lip. "Sorry if it came out wrong."   
  
     "Chill, I'm joking. I've got a couple. Black, if you don't mind?"   
  
     Crystle grinned and held her arms out. "I'm beginning to like this outfit." She laughed.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saori: FINALLY!!! I know that took long, but I wasn't sure how to continue...I got other ideas...and therefore..you know...got the first couple of chapters out on those first...and...yea....so..sorry...this isn't the best chapter..but...I tried...really!!! Please Review!!! Not beta read...sorry, my beta reader Jetonna is currently unavailable to use the computer...   
  
Jet: T.T   
  
Saori: Oh the injustice of it! Just the days I have the least hwk n more time to write!! 


	8. Accidental Movement

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Gundam Wing, as much as I want to. I'm just borrowing them. I'm not making money.   
  
**AN:** Another new idea. I don't think I want to continue the ideas unless I get reviews, because it'll be pointless if no one reads them...Chapter 8 now...more reviews!! YAY!!!   
Oh, and _'blah blah'_ denotes thoughts   
  


**_Crystal Clear   
Part 8: Accidental Movement _**   
  
  
     Crystle blinked at the meal in front of her. It was only breakfast. Back at the OZ base, she always had a buttered toast and a glass of milk for breakfast. It was considered a balance diet. Most of the other soldiers ate the same thing, save the few who preferred tasteless oatmeal. But here in front of her she was faced with…   
  
Milk…   
  
Orange Juice…   
  
Toasted white bread…   
  
Plain wheat bread…   
  
6 different types of muffins…   
  
Bacon…   
  
Eggs…   
  
Grapes…   
  
Apples…   
  
Jam…   
  
     She blinked at the cramped table full of food. Duo waved a hand in front of her face.   
  
     "Are you all right Crystle?" He asked. She looked at him and gulped.   
  
     "Yea." She nodded slowly, allowing Duo to guide her to a chair and she sat down. She looked uneasily at the food.   
  
     "How do you eat all of this food?" She couldn't help blurting. She flushed.   
  
     Quatre looked surprise. "It's breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day. You don't eat everything; you have some of selected things. Like some milk a muffin, some eggs and bacon and an apple." Quatre smiled. "Then again, Duo will eat anything left over…"   
  
     "Hey! I'm not a human vacuum!" Duo protested as he helped himself to half the plate of bacon, half the plate of eggs, three muffins, some orange juice and some toast. Crystle eyed his plate.   
  
     "How do you eat all that?"   
  
     "Are you trying to say I'm fat again?"   
  
     "No!" Crystle was surprised. "I didn't mean it that way!"   
  
     Duo raised an eyebrow. "You're way too uptight Crystle. Have something to eat, you haven't eaten anything in a long while."   
  
     Crystle nodded and picked up a piece of toast. She put some butter on it, and then poured herself a glass of milk. She started eating, and the table was silent save the sounds of chewing, clatter of plates and forks, and occasional comment and the shuffling of Duo moving in his seat. She finished her toast and drank down her milk.   
  
     "Is that enough for you?" Quatre asked, noticing that Crystle didn't pick up any more food. "Don't worry, there's plenty to eat."   
  
     "I'm sure. It's what I always eat for breakfast. That's what most of the OZ soldiers have for breakfast. It's what they called a balance diet…"   
  
     "Well, you can start eating more." Duo said between his chewing.   
  
     "Duo, don't chew and talk at the same time." Quatre said. Duo nodded and swallowed.   
  
     "Start eating more." Duo repeated. He put a muffin on Crystle's plate. "Eat."   
  
     "I really can't. I'm not used to it." Crystle shrugged. "Sorry."   
  
     "Don't be so uncomfortable! We're friend here right?" Duo exclaimed. "Don't worry about it. You'll be eating as much as me before long. Just have a little more."   
  
     "Eating as much as you?" Crystle gaped at the empty plate in front of Duo. He had taken the same time she had to eat breakfast to finish about 3 times the amount food.   
  
     "What's wrong with that?" Duo asked, pausing from taking a bite from the apple he picked up. "We're all growing teenagers."   
  
     "It's just…so much." Crystle shrugged. "I guess I'm not really much of a teenager. I'm a soldier."   
  
     "It's all right. Just eat what you can." Quatre smiled. Crystle returned the smile with a nod.   
  
     "Thank you Quatre."   
  
  
  


*** 

  
  
  
  
     "What have you found, Alex?" Zechs asked the soldier standing in front of his desk. Alex was standing straight, at attention.   
  
     "Victim 1 of Experiment S.T. has been taken in by the Gundam Pilots. They are trying to question her. Apparently, they know of the developing of the experiment and know that she was subjected to it as the first victim."   
  
     "How's she doing?"   
  
     "Crystle is constantly in pain. She has taken one dose of the drug since she was taken in, and that was three days ago. She hasn't been thinking too much on it, but it is most likely that the Gundam Pilots, especially Pilot 01, soon will pressure her into it."   
  
     "Has she been using water as well?"   
  
     "Yes sir. It appears that the Pilots know how to use the water to help her. They are trying to keep her away from the drug, sir."   
  
     "I see." Zechs stood and turned to face the window. Looking out, he saw the streets bustling with citizens, despite the time of night, and the falling snow. "Alex, you are doing an excellent job watching her. Has her transportation device become of use to you?"   
  
     "It is becoming familiar and useful sir. Thank you."   
  
     "You're welcome. Just be sure she doesn't catch you."   
  
     "Yes sir."   
  
     With a salute, Alex left the room and closed the door behind him. Zechs turned back to his desk to face the computer screen where Treize had been quietly listening on the conversation.   
  
     "You heard all of that, Your Excellency?"   
  
     "It seems the Silencer Technique has worked well. I believe we can use that for many more people should the need arise." Treize said, taking a sip of his red wine.   
  
     "Your Excellency, don't you think leaving her in the presence of the Gundam Pilots is too much. It appears she already knows about her past in that she doesn't want to kill Pilot 02. It seems she knows it is OZ's fault for killing her family. Aren't you afraid she will lead them right back-"   
  
     "She will do no such thing Zechs. We must have faith in our soldier. Remember, we coded what she would know. Some of her thoughts are locked deep into her subconscious. She will never know. You yourself assured me that no human mind could break down such a wall in their own mind without destroying all their thoughts?"   
  
     "Yes sir." Zechs said with a nod. "The theory hasn't been tested before, but it is highly unlikely."   
  
     "Well, I am trusting you on that one. She knows of the base and the lab. But she doesn't know where we are. She may know what we are doing, but she won't know how we're doing it."   
  
     "Right sir."   
  
     With that, the screen went blank.   
  
  
  


*** 

  
  
  
  
     Crystle rubbed her temples with a sigh. She tried and tried to find where the exactly location of the OZ base was, but to no avail. She grimaced as a wave of pain washed over her, but quickly took a deep breath to try and control it.   
  
     "Crystle?" Quatre said in a quiet tone. She looked up from her place on the couch to see Quatre standing in front of her, looking worried.   
  
     "Yes Quatre?"   
  
     "Are you all right? Stop trying if you're hurting yourself, we could still try and find things out ourselves. It IS our job, after all."   
  
     "Don't worry Quatre." Crystle smiled in reassurance despite the pain in her head. "I'm fine. I won't overwork my brain." Her smile disappeared and she looked away. "It just hurts so much to know that I can't control what I remember. I can't control my own brain. I feel like an android, if androids could feel."   
  
     "I wish I could help." Quatre sighed.   
  
     "It's all right Quatre. You guys did me a huge favor letting me stay here with you. I know you're keeping me here to protect me as well, for which I have to thank you as well."   
  
     "No child should be in war. There shouldn't even be war. People are just power-hungry and greedy. We can't do anything to stop that. The least we could do is protect the innocents that are willing to be protected."   
  
     Crystle nodded. "Thank you Quatre."   
  
     "Yo." Duo walked into the room with a bright smile.   
  
     "What's up Duo?" Quatre asked.   
  
     "You two want to join me in some video games?"   
  
     "That's all right Duo. I was on my way to grab a book to read."   
  
     "You and your reading Quatre. I like books, but a bit of R and R won't kill either." Duo shook his head with a sigh. Quatre only laughed and walked out of the room.   
  
     "I'll join you if you teach me how to play." Crystle said.   
  
     "Really? Great! C'mon up, it's in my room." Duo grabbed Crystle's hand and pulled her out of the room and up the stairs.   
  
  
  
     "What kind of game do you want to play? Fighting? Racing? Adventure RPG? One on One? Sports?" Duo asked as soon as he entered his room, dragging Crystle behind him. Crystle tugged on her long pants.   
  
     "Anything Duo. Don't move so fast. I almost fell on my face back there."   
  
     "Oops. Sorry. Oh yea. This is my room. Excuse the mess."   
  
     Duo's room consisted of a bed in one corner, a shelf of books along the wall, a T.V. with his game system, a stereo and a desk with a computer. Another door probably led to the washroom, and another two doors for a walk in closet, or so Crystle guessed. There were two sets of windows along one side of the room. There was also a full-length mirror on one wall. Across the carpeted floor were some clothes, a few comics and magazines and some pants. Duo rapidly gathered the things, stashing his clothes into the walk in closet, in which Crystle saw one side of black clothing, and a few colorful t-shirts on the other side. He placed the comics and magazines on the top of the shelf of books.   
  
     "It's all right." Crystle said, looking around. "So, what are we playing?" She asked, sitting on his bed, which faced the large T.V. Duo waved a game disk in the air before inserting it into the system.   
  
     "Racing cars. Is that all right?"   
  
     "Sure. What game system is this?"   
  
     "Super Station 1X9. Ever played?"   
  
     "Never even heard of it."   
  
     "You're kidding me."   
  
     The screen flickered to life as Crystle shook her head. Duo handed her a controller before sitting against the bed next to her dangling left leg, as her other leg was tucked underneath her. Crystle blinked at the screen as Duo easily moved to the options tab and filled in a few cheat codes with familiarity.   
  
     "Do you play often?" She asked.   
  
     "Just between missions." Duo answered, looking up at her. "You serious you never played?"   
  
     "Honest." Crystle blinked. The screen flashed black as it loaded, and from its reflection to the outside of the open windows on the right of her, she clearly saw someone sitting in a tree. Instantly, she knew the person wasn't supposed to be there. Duo, who had been facing her, had no idea.   
  
     Her mind registered that the man was crouched on the branch, one hand at the trunk, the other on the branch to balance himself. Clearly, he could just barely stay still on the tree. Crystle easily bet that he was bigger than she was; as she remembered being in the exact same spot when spying on the Pilots.   
  
     _ 'When in the world was that?' _ She asked herself. She processed all these thoughts within a few seconds. Dropping the game controller onto the bed, she leapt to the window and onto the ledge, willing to bet that the man was still there. Her mind calculated that he didn't know she saw him, and that he couldn't see her until she was perched on the windowsill. She was right. The man looked surprise to see her.   
  
     "Crystle!" Duo called behind her. Crystle ignored him, taking a flying tackle to the man in the tree not too far away.   
  
     Duo made a grab for the apparently suicidal girl but missed. He watched her, only then catching sight of the man perched on the tree.   
  
     _ 'How the hell did he get here? Who is he?' _ Duo wondered, watching as Crystle tackled the man with her full weight. He was knocked off balance and fell backwards onto the ground, pulling Crystle with him. She fell on top of him, immediately into action as he was winded, and she backed off, grabbing his gun. Duo dropped down beside her with his own gun pointed to the man. He slowly sat up, hands raised. Both guns remained trained on him.   
  
     Realization hit Crystle. "Alex?!"   
  
     The man's head snapped up to look at her in surprise.   
  
     "Shit. You weren't supposed to know." He muttered, standing. Crystle lowered her gun.   
  
     "What are you doing here?"   
  
     "You know him?" Duo asked, not relaxing.   
  
     "Fellow soldier." Crystle replied, still eyeing the trespasser.   
  
     "An Ozzie."   
  
     "Duo, Crystle, you guys joining us for…guys?" Quatre's voice could be heard from the window above them. The voice startled the three outside. Alex took the chance to reach into his pocket, pulling out the transportation device. Crystle fired a shot at his arm and Alex grunted, dropping the device. Crystle dropped the gun, catching the device, elbowing the staggering soldier in the chest so he fell to the ground. Accidentally, she tapped the transportation button. That fraction of a second, she turned to Duo in fear, knowing she triggered the mechanism, but unable to let go.   
  
     "Duo!" She screamed as Duo made a grab for her. But he was too late. He grabbed air as the girl vanished right before his eyes.   
  
  
  
  
     Reappearing in front of Zechs Merquise who was sitting at his desk.   
  
In his office.   
  
In the OZ base.   
  
Unarmed.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saori: NEW CHAPTER PEEPS!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!! What'll happen to Crystle Next?? Review if you wanna find out!!!!!   
  
Crystle: *groans, holding head in hands* Why do I have HER of all people as my authoress...*sigh* 


End file.
